Grading-machine.



R. WATERMAN.

GRADING MACHINE. APPLICATION man NOV. 24. 1914.

Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

JVITIYEJJEJ E SAES ATNT FFIGE.

RAYMOND WATERMAN, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

GRADING-MACHINE.

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Baritone WATER- MAN, citizen of the United States, resident of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grading-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

In grading machines as heretofore constructed provision is made for raising or lowering the scraper blade and the supporting ring by a lever mechanism operating in connection with a toothed quadrant, and even if the teeth of the quadrant are made as small practicable, the blade will be moved approximately an inch and a half or more in distance with every shift of the operating lever, if only for one tooth. This has been found objectionable, as it is often desirable to raise or lower the blade a comparatively short distance, such as one half of an inch for a shallow cut, and the object, therefore, of my invention is to provide means in connection with the lever lifting mechanism by which the blade can be raised or lowered a comparatively short distance independently of its comparatively long stroke through the movement of the lever mechanism.

The invention consists generally in providing a gear mechanism in connection with v the lever quadraut for rocking the quadrant and lever to raise or lower the scraper blade,

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a grading machine, .embodyi ng my invention,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line w--'.r of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view, illustrating the application of the gear mechanism to the lever quadrant.

In the drawing, 2 represents theframe of a grading machine, having forward and rear carrying wheels 3 and 4. 5 represents the ring usually employed in machines of this type, supported on a frame 6 having a draft connection at 7 with the forward axle. The rear portion of this frame is provided with a rocker 8 and links 9 pivotally connect it with the machine frame. The scraper blade 10 is preferably supported on brackets 11 which depend from the ring 5.

Mounted upon the machine frame on opposite sides thereof are standards 12, having bearings for a transverse shaft 13. Upon Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

Application filed November 24, 1914. Serial No. 873,744.

each end of the shaft 13, outside the standards, are hubs 14, held in place by collars 15. These hubs are loose on the shaft and free to rock thereon. Each hub has a down wardly extending arm 16 connected by a link 17 with the ring 5 which supports the scraper blade. Operating levers 18 are mounted on the hubs 14 and springs 19 are connected at one end to the hubs 14 and at their opposite ends to the frame of themachine for the purpose of assisting the operator in lifting the scraper blade and its connections. 20 represents quadrants, loosely mounted on each end of the shaft 13, preferably between the standards ll'and the hubs 14, and these quadrants have teeth that are engaged by latches 22 on the operating levers l8 and are also provided with gears 23 meshing with pinions 24 carried by shafts 25 that are 'journaled in the upper portions of the standards 12. Gear wheels 26 are mounted on the inner ends of the shafts 25 and mesh with pinious 27 on the hubs of comparatively large hand wheels "38 which a'reloosely mounted on a shaft 29 that extends transversely of the machine and also has bearings in the upper portion of said standards. By means of the train of gears between the rack of the quadrants and the hand wheels 28, the operator will have a very large leverage on the quadrants and can rock the quadrants and levers a comparatively small distance to raise or lower the scraper blade, as desired, the gear n'lechanism allowing a very slight movement ofthe scraper blade, much less than would be practicable through the operation of the lever and quadrant.

Each hand wheel operates independently of the other and consequently, either end of the scraper blade can be raised or lowered, as desired, and any distance that may seem suitable to. accomplish the work.

For the purpose of holding the hand wheels against premature movement, I pro vide brakeshoes 30 adapted to engage the.

The brake shoes engaging the wheels 28', will normally hold the quadrants stationary through the ge-ar connections when the lifting levers are operated to raise or lower the blade. For quick adjustment these levers generally will be used and for raising the blade to clear obstructions, but whenever it is desired to raise or lower the blade a comparatively short distance, as in making a shallow cut, the brake shoes will, be released by the foot of the operator and then the hand wheels may be turned torock the quadrants and the lifting levers to obtain the, desired movement of the. blade.

The invention may be applied to various styles of scrapers and various means may' be employed for connecting the operating,

1 wish to be confined to the particular appli-f mechanism with the scraper blade, the essential feature of the invention being; the means for efiecting a slight vertical movement of the scraper blade to adjust ity for a; shallow cut in combination with a quickacti'n'g means, normally employed for raising or lowering the scraper. blade a con;-

s'id'erable distance with each movement.

have shown this invention used 1n con.- nection. with a grading or scraping blade.

ltjvilrl be understood, however, that it may be employed with other devices where, at,

times a considerable movement is desired, while at other times a comparatively short stroke is desirable. I do not, therefore,

cation of the invention shown herein.

I claim as my invention: 1. The combination, with a frame having carrying wheels, of a scraper blade, mechanism on each side ofsaid frame for raising,

or lowering either end of said scraper blade on said frame adjacent to said. raising and lowering. mechanism and geared thereto, for

fora deep cut, and hand Wheels mounted raisinor lowerilig either end of saidblade for a shallow cut.

2 The combination, with a frame having carrying wheels, of a scraper blade, loosely mounted quadrants on each .side of. said frame, levers loosely mounted, eoncentrie 'with;said quadrants and connected with said 50.

blade and havin means for en 'a i'n the b a m teethofsaid uadrants said levers havin a movement independent of said quadrants for raising or 'lowering'said blade, loosely I mounted hand wheelsl'laving means for normall-y locking them and geared to said quad rants "for rocking either quadrant and its lever independently of the other quadrant,

and? its lever forslowly raising or lowering saidv blade for a shallow cut.

ver simultaneously to adjust said blade for r a shallow cut.

4.v Thecombinatio'n, with a frame having carrying wheels, of a scraper blade, a shaft mounted on said frame, toothed quadrants loosely mounted on said shaft, levers loosely mounted on said shaft and operativelv connected with said blade and having latches for the teeth of said quadrants, said. levers having a movement independent of said quadrants for the rapid adJuStment OfSELlCl blade in a deep out, said quadrants also having gear racks thereon and a gear mecha-' nism engaging said: racks for simultaneously rocking said quadrantsand. levers to adjust said blade for a shallow cut,

5. Thefcombination, with aframe having carrying wheels, of a scrape-r blade, a shaft mounted on said? frame, liftingleve'rs loosely mounted on. said shaft and operatively con nected with said blade andhaving locliing' latches, normally stationary racks hav ing teeth for said latches and over which racks said levers are movable to. raise or lower either end of" said blade, means for locking saidi racks against premature movement and. means for moving either one of them snnultaneously with its lever to adjust said blade for a shallow cut. when said] locking means is released.

6-.. The combination, with a frame having. carrying wheels, of a scraper blade, mecha-- nismfor raising; or lowering either end or.

said scraper blade for a deep cut,.- hand wheels mounted on said; frame and geared to said raising; and lowering mechanism, brake devices for said 'handf'wheels, normally locking, them against premature move ment, said' brake devices,; when released ale lowing, the movement of said handv wheelsto operate said'rai'sihg: and lowering ,mecha nism to adjust either end, of said. blade for it hallow cut,

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set.

my hand this 20th day of November, 191.4

RAYMGND WVATERMAQN.

- VVit'nesses: I 1' Y I GENEVIEVE E. SoRENs N, EDWARDA. PAUL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing; the Commissioner of Patents,

Washingtomj). 01 i I 

